The present invention relates generally to a checkout or point-of-sale (POS) terminal, and more particularly to a method for displaying the status of a self-service checkout terminal.
In the retail industry, the largest expenditures are typically the cost of the goods sold followed closely by the cost of labor expended. With particular regard to the retail grocery or supermarket industry, the impetus to reduce labor costs has focused on reducing or eliminating the amount of time required to handle and/or process the items or goods to be purchased by a customer. To this end, there have been a number of self-service checkout terminal concepts developed which attempt to substantially eliminate the need for a checkout clerk.
A self-service checkout terminal is a system which is operated by a customer without the aid of a checkout clerk. In such a system, the customer scans individual items for purchase across a scanner and then places the scanned item into a grocery bag, if desired. The customer then pays for his or her purchase either at the self-service checkout terminal if so equipped, or at a central payment area which is staffed by a store employee. Thus, a self-service checkout terminal permits a customer to select, itemize, and in some cases pay for his or her purchase without the assistance of the retailer""s personnel.
However, during some transactions it may become necessary to have a customer service manager or the like intervene in the transaction. In particular, a customer typically has little or no training in the operation of the self-service checkout terminal prior to his or her initial use of the checkout terminal. Hence, during some transactions the customer may request intervention by a customer service manager in order to facilitate use of the self-service checkout terminal.
It is also known that some customers may have improper intentions when using a self-service checkout terminal. In traditional checkout systems, the clerk employed by the retailer to operate the checkout terminal provides a level of security against theft or other improprieties. However, in the case of the self-service checkout terminal, the terminal itself must provide a level of security against theft or other improprieties, and must also be able to request intervention by the customer service manager if the terminal determines that a transaction may be improper.
Other transactions may always require intervention by the customer service manager. In particular, certain transactions may include the purchase of restricted items which by law or otherwise require intervention by the customer service manager. For example, the customer service manager may be required to check the identification (i.e. verify the age) of a customer purchasing alcoholic beverages.
During operation of the self-service checkout terminal, it is necessary to communicate the status of the terminal to the customer service manager. In particular, the customer service manager should know (1) when the self-service checkout terminal is in use, (2) when intervention is needed in the near future (e.g. the customer scanned an alcoholic beverage which will require an ID check by the customer service manager), and (3) when intervention is needed immediately (e.g. the customer is ready to tender payment but the customer service manager has not yet made the ID check required for the purchase of the alcoholic beverage).
Furthermore, if the status of the self-service checkout terminal is communicated in a manner which is also easily understood by the customer, proper use of the self-service checkout terminal may be reinforced and improper use of the terminal may be deterred. In particular, if the customer realizes that the status of the self-service checkout terminal is being communicated to the customer service manager, the customer is less likely to operate the self-service checkout terminal with the intention to commit an impropriety such as theft.
What is needed therefore is a self-service checkout terminal which displays status information associated with operation of the self-service checkout terminal. What is further needed is a self-checkout terminal which displays status information in a format which is easily understood by both the customer service manager and the customer.
In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a self-service checkout terminal. The method includes the step of detecting an improper-terminal-use activity and generating an improper-use control signal in response thereto. The method also includes the step of operating a status device in a first mode of operation in response to generation of the improper-use control signal. The method further includes the step of updating an electronic log value in response to generation of the improper-use control signal.
In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a self-service checkout terminal. The method includes the step of detecting an improper-terminal-use activity and generating an improper-use control signal in response thereto. The method also includes the step of operating a status device in a first mode of operation in response to generation of the improper-use control signal. The method further includes the step of updating an electronic log value in response to generation of the improper-use control signal. Moreover, the method includes the step of generating a first intervention signal if the log value has a predetermined relationship to a log threshold. The method also includes the step of operating the status device in a second mode of operation in response to generation of the first intervention control signal, wherein the first mode of operation is different from the second mode of operation. The method yet further includes the step of generating an end-of-itemization control signal in response to a user""s indication that the user has no further items to enter into the checkout terminal. The method also includes the step of operating the status device in a third mode of operation if (1) the end-of-itemization signal has been generated, and (2) the status device was operating in the second mode of operation when the end-of-itemization control signal is generated, wherein the third mode of operation is different from each of the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.
In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a self-service checkout terminal. The method includes the step of detecting if a user enters a restricted item into the checkout terminal and generating a restricted-item control signal in response thereto. The method also includes the step of operating a status device in a first mode of operation in response to generation of the restricted-item control signal.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful checkout terminal.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved checkout terminal.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and useful method of operating a checkout terminal.
It is moreover an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of operating a checkout terminal.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the represent invention will become apparent from the following description and the attached drawings.